1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power unit, in which an engine body having a crankshaft and a transmission casing accommodating therein a V-belt type transmission are joined integrally, and a saddle-ride type vehicle provided with the power unit.
2. Description of Related Art
Scooter type motorcycles generally have mounted thereon a unit swing type power unit, in which an engine body and a transmission casing accommodating therein a continuously variable transmission mechanism are joined integrally.
In such power units, an intake system such as a throttle body and an air cleaner and a starter motor for rotationally driving a crankshaft are conventionally arranged in an upper space of an engine body (see, for example, JP-A-2002-221138).
In the case where an intake system and a starter motor are arranged in an upper space of an engine body as in the conventional power unit described above, there is a problem in that the upper space of the engine body is occupied by such parts and there is less space in which other engine constituent parts can be arranged. In particular, the latest scooter type motorcycles mount, in some cases, an ECVT, which automatically and variably controls a belt wound diameter of a continuously variable transmission on the basis of engine speed, etc., and space must be ensured for engine constituent parts such as ECVT to be arranged.